Study level 2 and 3

Style: Symbolic

Description:
In the Advent period we prepare for the coming of the Lord. The darkness will be broken by Him. He comes as a new shoot from the clan of David, the clan of Jesse. As a sigh of light what will appear on the earth we light each week in Advent one more candle. Purple is the liturgical color of Advent and it stands for contemplation and preparation. The basis of this arrangement is the vine branch. It is covered with the green of Thuja (and other conifers) what is a symbol of life. Around the third candle you also may use more light green because on this day the light breaks a bit through. The candles are going in a up going line to Christmas, but start from the pile of dead branches and leaves. After the road to Advent we see roses grow through the star. It is a sigh of love and a reference to the coming suffering. Also Ilex and the red berries are a reference to it. With Christmas we use three white candles as a symbol of Holy trinity.
Read in the Bible: (Jes.11 : 10 and 11)(Jes.64 :5-6)(Luc.2 : 7).

We need for this lesson:

• Dead branches and leaves.
• A vine branch.
• 4 purple candles.
• Branches and straw to make a star.
• 3 white candles.
• Red roses and Ilex.
• 4 kind of conifer or pine branches from dark to light.
• A purple and a red cloth.
• A container with Oasis.
• Spool wire.

Step by step:

1. Bind the green around the vine branch and start with the lightest color green. Cover the green in layers overlapping like the skin of a fish and work from till you have covered the dark green at the end of the branch. Each part you make a little bit more dark green. The end of the branch must stay bold.
2. The candles can be fixed with big nails or you can put them in low containers behind the branch.
3. Make from branches two triangles and bind straw around it. Next is to fix the two parts as a star form.
4. In a container with Oasis you can put the roses and you do the same with the Ilex.
5. Bring all to unity. Put at the begin a pile of dead branches and dead leaves. Your symbolic path to Christmas is now prepared.

Tip. Be careful with fire.

Materials used are: Thuja occidentalis, Chamaecyparis, Rosa. Ilex aquifolium.

For more information see the book:

• Symbolische bloemsierkunst
• Winterse feestdagen
• Flowerworld, a road to flower art

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Last update of this page 16.02.2005